Rail-joint closer.



PATENTED AUG. l5, 1905. M. 0. ROCKWELL i G. W. SMITH.

RAIL JOINT CLOSER. APPLIUATION FILED APR. 29, 1905.

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MlNO'lfl O. ltOCKVi/'ltlih AND GEORGE W. SMITH, OF FUUNIAIN, MICHIGAN.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1905.

Application filed Aplll 29, 1905. SGILl. N0. 258,029.

Be it known that we, MiNoirrr t). RooKwnLL and Grieken W. SMITH, of Fountain, in the county of Mason and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful lImprovements in Rail-Joint Closers; and we do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

'lhe object of this invention is to provide a rail-joint closer capable of being readily secured to adjacent rails and of being easily manipulated to insure the drawing of one rail into proper position relatively to the other, such means being extremely simple and the device as a whole free from complication and not liable to readily get out of order.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View showing our device attached to two rails. Fig. i2 is a side elevation with parts broken away. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on line 3 3, Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, l and 2 designate two wedges inclined on their upper surfaces and jiiat on their bottoms. '.lhey are provided with extensions 3, having thickened ends 4f, formed with opposite central threaded openings.

5 designates a right and left hand screwrod which is passed throiiigh and works inthe threaded openings of the two wedges. It is formed at its center with a head 6, having in its several sides openings to accommodate an operating-bar Y. i

8 8 designate two in verted-U-shaped clamping-blocks which are designed to straddle adjacent rails, and in the lower ends of their parallel sides are opposite openings to receive pins 9, which. latter engage the treads of the rails. ln practice the clamping-blocks are placed over the adjacent rails and the flat faces of the wedges are placed on the treads thereof. The wedge 2 in adjusting one rail to another is placed upon the already-secured rail and furtherprevented from slipping by means of a chain l0, secured thereto at one end and having' two branches l2, which may be temporarily secured to one of the ties. WV hen the wedges have been positioned within the clamping-bloeks, the operator inserts the manipulating-rod in one of the openings of the head G of the screw-rod and turns the latter from time to time, so as to draw the two sections of the device toward each other, thereby bringing the rail to be positioned into proper relation with a rail already secured. Once the former has been secured to the ties or to the fish-plates connecting it with the other rail, the operator reverses the screwrod, so as to release the binding against the two rails, whereupon by withdrawing the pins 9 the two clamping-blocks may be removed.

The advantages of our invention are apparent from what has been said. It w'ill be seen that the same is extremely simple and inexpensive and that by means thereof with but very little exertion adjacent rails may be readily brought into proper relation to each other.

l/Ve claim as our invention- 1. A rail-joint closer comprisingtwo clamping-blocks designed to be secured to adjacent rails, two wedges designed to rest on the treads of the rails and to extend. through and engage said clamping-blocks, and means for drawing' said wedges toward each other.

2. A rail-joint closer comprising two clamping-blocks designed to be secured to adjacent rails, two wedges designed to rest on the treads of the rails and to extend through and engage said clamping-blocks, said wedges having opposite threaded openings, and a screwrod passed through said openings and having a head intermediate its ends.

3. A rail-joint closer comprising two clamping-blocks designed to be secured to adjacent rails, two wedges designed to rest on the treads of the rails and to extend through and engage said clamping-blocks, each wedge having' an end extension formed with a thickened portion, and a screw-rod passed through openings in said thickened portions, said screw-rod having a head intermediate the ends thereof.

4f. A rail-joint closer comprising two clamping-blocks having opposite depending portions, pins extended through said depending portions designed to engage the treads of adjacent rails, two wedges designed to extend through said clamping-blocks, and a screw rod for moving said wedges toward and away from each other, as set forth.

5. A rail-joint closer comprising two clamping-blocks, means Carried thereby for enga-g'- ing adjacent rails, two wedges designed to rest on the treads of such rails, a chain secured to one of said wedges and designed to be held lat its outer end or ends, and means connecting' seid wedges for drawing them toward each other, as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specieation-in the presence of two subscribe ing witnesses.

MINOTT O. ROCKVELL. GEORGE W. SMITH.

fitnessesz FRANK BOEHM, F. W. BEEK. 

